[Top Ten Tuesday] – #61 – Top Ten Books In My Beach Bag

Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.

This Week’s Theme:Top Ten Books In My Beach Bag

Initial Thoughts:

I haven’t experienced reading on the beach seeing as how I seldom visit any of them in Toronto (but they’re pretty mediocre overall). Either way, this isn’t really inclusive of books I’d actually bring with me to the beach (because I ain’t no beast that can read 10 books in 1 sitting let alone 1). These are more reminders for me to read during the summer.

Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard

My mind is telling me I have to read this before prices go down so I can validate the nature of the impulse buy. (My mind also tells me I will rant about this book.)

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

Nil – Lynne Matson

This might be the perennial beach read seeing as how [to me] it’s reminiscent of Lord of the Flies.

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days–to escape, or you die. Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.

Trouble – Non Pratt

Although I did start 40-ish pages into this book, I think I had to put it down for some ARCs. That being said, it seemed like a fairly quick read so far.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Abigail Tarttelin – Flick

He’s a stoner; and I am sold.

Marooned by a lack of education (and lack of anything better to do), Will Flicker, a.k.a. “Flick,” spends most days pondering the artistry behind being a stoner, whether Pepsi is better than Coke, and how best to get clear of his tiny, one-horse suburb. But Flick senses there’s something else out there waiting for him,

Adam Silvera – More Happy Than Not

I think it’d be disingenuous to not attempt to read this book after doing that recent More Happy Than Not tag. I’ve books put on display before the actual release so I wonder if I’m able to snag an early copy hah.

The Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-relief procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto — miracle cure-alls don’t tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. But Aaron can’t forget how he’s grown up poor or how his friends aren’t always there for him. Like after his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. Aaron has the support of his patient girlfriend, if not necessarily his distant brother and overworked mother, but it’s not enough.

Guardian – Alex London

Perhaps it is time to finally read the book I thought I was going to binge read in succession after finishing Proxy. Although I think it’s because I didn’t actually have Guardian on hand. No matter, the BookOutlet purchase came with an autographed Guardian despite only paying for a general copy. #winning.

[Synopsis withheld due to being the second (and final?) installment to the Proxy duology.]

Freakboy – Kristen Elizabeth Clark

Hauled this from BookOutlet and then read a rave review from another one of you bloggers. It’s written in verse, too, so that’ll be a change of pace. (Derrrrrrrrp. I just tried reading the first few pages of this AND I AM UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS NARRATIVE FORMAT. I feel like I’m staring at the verses forever. What is happening.)

From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?

Take One With You – Oak Anderson

This read has been a long time coming seeing for reasons concerning receiving this a year ago (ish).

Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the “scum of society”, such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who “got away with it” before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, “take one with you?”

Not a Drop To Drink – Mindy McGinnis

At least things reading this dystopia won’t feel as bleak if you it’s being read on the beach with a giant body of water around you.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn’t leave at all. …But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

Wicked Games – Sean Olin

A book that gets so many negative reviews but with praise from Khanh (yes, the Khanh) is one to surely piques my interest just to see what it’s about. (Though, I did think it was NA for some reason.) Even if I end up hating it like the masses, it’s a library sale $1 well spent.

To all the locals in the small beach town of Dream Point, Carter and Lilah seem like the perfect It Couple-but their relationship is about to brutally unravel before everyone’s eyes. Carter has always been a good guy, and while Lilah has a troubled past, she’s been a loyal girlfriend for the last four years. When smart, sexy Jules enters the picture at a senior-year bash, Carter succumbs to temptation. And when Lilah catches wind of his betrayal, she decides that Jules needs to pay.

Afterthoughts:

What even constitutes a beach read anyways? Something that’s relatively short that you can finish in one tanning session…?

I never go the beach. I live in Ohio – I could make a trip to Lake Erie, but eww. And nicer beaches cost money to get to, and I don’t have any.

I based my list pretty much the same way – what I’d like to read this summer. For me a ‘beach/pool’ read is something easy and mindless! Wait, that’s usually all I read, but hey! It’s an excuse for me to make a list of books I want to read and probably won’t ever get to.

I have put off Red Queen because of hype. Actually, I started reading it and quit after a few chapters. I can’t wait for this rant.

On the rare occasion that I get to go to the beach (I live in Minnesota) I don’t spend my time reading… I’m in the water and being active. I did my list as a general summer read and had Red Queen on my list this week.

Read Queen is on my TBR and haven’t gotten around to it either. I hope that it’s good. Hopefully we both don’t end up having rants about it. I go to the beach/pool fairly often because it’s always hot in Miami and I bring books but I never get to them because I go swimming and eat and well, eating is more delicious than reading lol.

I visit the beach at least once every other year. I’ve brought books and read ACROSS from the beach in our timeshare, but I haven’t read ON the actual beach. Because I don’t have one of those big beach umbrellas and I don’t read in direct sunlight.

I may this summer, but…don’t want to get my signed copy of the heir (to be purchased) sandy or wet.

At first, a beach read was stereotyped as a romance—reading being for “girls” and all that BS. But now, I’d say it’s more of a summer-y, upbeat read.

Red Queen was excellent; lived up to the hype if not surpassing it. I’d advise reading it ASAP.

No! I’m very protective of my books, especially on commute! I would hate to drop a book on those nasty floors-uh uh.

I personally despise too much romance. I’m sorry, maybe I should have specified—my idea of “summer-y and upbeat” is Panic by Lauren Oliver, Liars Inc. Books that take place in summer. Or books that have summer games, or are thrillers.

Hahaha, was that an allusion to the red queen hypothesis; or no?
Read it!
If you’re into GoT, Shadow and Bone, XMen, THG, you’ll like it!

Not a Drop sounds like an intriguing book that I do hope I’ll get to reading soon! And Trouble isn’t–dare I say–troubling to read into (not yet at least from the bit I’ve read haha). Thanks for dropping by!

ISN’T WHERE YOU LIVE BASICALLY SURROUNDED BY WATER THOUGH AIMEE? (at least, in perspective, you’re closer to water than most people who live way in the land LOL).

Yeah the hype on my feeds (at least for me) for More Happy Than Not have been insane. Not that it’s not deserving but wowza is everyone hyped about it (or have already read it and are trying to spread that hype).

And yes! Khanh enjoying Wicked Games sparked the interest of other readers to read it too LOL (to which they all seemed to generally enjoy themselves). It didn’t take much convincing for me after I saw her review. It was glorious.

So okay. I've only ever read one book by the beach and it's Eclipse (pretty sure I don’t have to mention the author’s name). It’s more like I want to read it and it so happened that our family is going on a trip. I haven’t had the same experience since. BUT WAIT. A SIGNED Guardian. UGH.

I’ve actually read Red Queen and I still have mixed feelings about it! I’ve heard so many people say they’ve hated it and so many say they’ve loved it, but not many say they’re not sure! I guess I’m one of those people who can see both points of view, just hadn’t decided what to think. And may never decide…
-Amy

Being unsure is actually the worst situation to be in for enjoying a book (especially if you go as far as writing a review for it–I mean, where do you start?!)

BUT it’s also the best kind of reader out there I think since you appreciate all that is good and bad about the book (which is why I take 3 star reviews much more seriously than glowing 5’s and angry 1’s haha).